UH-1H (EDA) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project of the Philippine Air Force

In 2003, the Philippine Air Force was trying to acquire additional Bell UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters to have enough numbers to retain its air mobility capabilities to support combat and non-combat operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This resource page tackles one of the solutions that were undertaken by the Philippine Air Force, which is to acquire UH-1H helicopters from the United States' Excess Defense Articles.

Two UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters of the Philippine Air Force during exercises with the US. Photo credits to DVIDS.

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Project Summary:

UH-1H (Excess Defense Article) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project

Note: Edited as of 20 March 2024.

* End User: Philippine Air Force (205th Tactical Helicopter Wing)

* Quantity: 6 aircraft including Integrated Logistics Support

* Modernization Phase: Capability Upgrade Program of the AFP Modernization Program (RA 7898)

* Project ABC: Php405,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Government-to-Government deal through US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) / Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Programs

* Source of Funding: GAA Funds through AFP Modernization Program Trust Fund

* Winning Proponent: DynCorp International through US Department of Defense

* Product for Delivery: Refurbished and upgraded UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters taken from US Excess Defense Articles

* Contract Price: Php404,279,090.00

* Residual Price: Php720,910.00

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PAFRefurbishedUH1HAcquisitionProject

* Status: The first 5 helicopters were delivered to the PAF on 15 August 2006, with the final helicopter delivered on 09 May 2007. DND declaring the project completed as of May 2007. PROJECT COMPLETED.

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Overview:

In 2003, the Philippine Air Force was in desperate need for more combat utility helicopters as its fleet was also getting smaller as many of its existing Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters were ageing fast and are being retired and cannibalized to keep other aircraft in service, or are simply in need of retirement.

As part of the US' military assistance to the Philippines, the US Department of Defense allocated for the transfer of 10 Bell UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters from its Excess Defense Articles (EDA) stock, as long as the Philippines will shoulder the cost to rehabilitate, refurbish and upgrade them to acceptable levels, and to deliver them from the US to the Philippines.

The Philippine Air Force raised the requirement under its Acquisition of Refurbished UH-1H Helicopters (Excess Defense Articles) to deliver the 10 helicopters pledged by the US Government, with a budget of Php442,700,000 allocated for the project, and target delivery date of June 2006.

But due to further confirmation of the total cost, it appears that the PAF's allocated budget can only allow for the acquisition, refurbishment and upgrade of 6 helicopters instead of 10, resulting to a reduction of helicopters.

The project was later on separated into the UH-1H (EDA) Support Acquisition / Upgrade Project of the PAF which aims to provide for the procurement of the helicopters from the US EDA stocks, and the UH-1H (EDA) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project, with a budget of approximately Php9,000,000.00 and Php405,000,000.00, respectively.

The UH-1H (EDA) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project was procured through Government-to-Government deal with the US through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS), with the US Department of Defense awarding the project to American military contractor DynCorp International.

DynCorp technicians conducting maintenance work. Photo for reference only, credits to DynCorp International.

The Letter of Award was signed by the Department of National Defense on 14 December 2003, and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released the Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) for the project on 06 February 2004. 

A Joint Visual Inspection was conducted by the PAF and DND in Texas between 25 March to 05 April 2004 to see the actual helicopters to be delivered, and to check DynCorp's capability to deliver the services.

The first 5 helicopters were delivered to the Philippine Air Force on 15 August 2006, with last helicopter arriving in the Philippines on 09 May 2007 which was delivered together with 10 other donated Bell UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters as part of the pledge of then US President George W. Bush to the administration of then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Four of the upgraded Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters upon arrival via commercial shipping. 

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With the six UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters completing its refurbishment and upgrade works, delivered and re-inducted with the Philippine Air Force as of May 2007, MaxDefense and Philippine Defense Resource officially consider the UH-1H (Excess Defense Article) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project of the Philippine Air Force as COMPLETED.

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First edit and release: 20 March 2024
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource

OV-10 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) Project of the Philippine Air Force

With the OV-10A Bronco light attack aircraft ageing rapidly and many of the PAF's examples going to the boneyard without the ability to replace them with new aircraft, the service understood that something has to be done with what they have while they are still looking for ways to replace the OV-10 fleet with a new aircraft.

The Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) was meant to address this issue in the short to medium term, and an initial batch of 6 aircraft were eyed to undergo the upgrade works.

This resource page discusses the project which was undertaken as part of the Capability Upgrade Program of the AFP Modernization Program under RA 7898.

One of the upgraded OV-10M Bronco light attack aircraft of the 15th Strike Wing, Philippine Air Force. Photo credits to Philstar.

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Project Summary:

OV-10 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) Project:

Note: Edited as of 17 March 2024.

* End User: Philippine Air Force (15th Strike Wing)

* Quantity: 6 aircraft including Integrated Logistics Support

* Modernization Phase: Capability Upgrade Program of the AFP Modernization Program (RA 7898)

* Project ABC: Php256,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding

* Source of Funding: GAA Funds through AFP Modernization Program Trust Fund

* Winning Proponent: Joint Venture of Marsh Aviation and Aeromart

* Product for Delivery: OV-10M Upgrade

* Contract Price: Php245,759,000.00

* Residual Price: Php10,241,000.00

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PAFOV10MUpgradeProject

* Status: The project involves upgrading 6 OV-10A aircraft with overhauled engines, installing new 4-bladed propellers that increased aircraft performance, and replacement of avionics. Project awarded to Joint Venture of Marsh Aviation and Aeromart, with the contract signed 20 August 2004. All 6 aircraft were delivered to the PAF and inducted as of 3rd quarter 2006, with the DND declaring the project completed as of September 2006. PROJECT COMPLETED.

To note, further upgrades were made years later but not part of this project.

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Overview:

With the OV-10A Bronco light attack aircraft ageing rapidly and many of the PAF's examples going to the boneyard without the ability to replace them with new aircraft, the service understood that something has to be done with what they have while they are still looking for ways to replace the OV-10 fleet with a new aircraft.

The Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) was meant to address this issue in the short to medium term, and an initial batch of 6 aircraft were eyed to undergo the upgrade works.

One of the PAF's OV-10A Bronco as seen in the early 2000s. Photo credits to Simple Planes.

A budget of Php256,000,000.00 was set aside for the project, which will involve overhauling the engines, acquiring spare engines, acquiring new 4-bladed propellers to replace the existing ones, re-wiring of the aircraft, structural enhancements, and improvement on the aircraft's avionics.

2 bidders submitted their proposals but the proposal from the Joint Venture of Marsh Aviation and Aeromart won. A contract was signed by the DND on 20 August 2004, with the project pushing ahead with a target completion date of 2 years.

An initial batch of 4 propellers and 4 overhauled engines were delivered as of 05 February 2005, and a second batch of 4 overhauled engines and 4 propellers were delivered as of 19 September 2005. A third batch of six propellers were delivered on 24 October 2005, while the last batch involving 4 overhauled engines were delivered by 2006.

The project was declared completed as of September 2006 with all 6 aircraft upgraded to what they call the OV-10M (Modified) standard, which passed testing and acceptance by the Philippine Air Force.

The PAF was said to have been satisfied with the upgrades that it wanted to implement the same upgrades for the rest of the fleet, but funding was not made available in the next few years prompting the PAF to shoulder on with repairing the other aircraft as much as they can.

While not part of this upgrade program, the PAF continued to improve the OV-10M several years later, including adding the capability to drop GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II smart bombs. The improved avionics and structural upgrades done as part of this project made it easier for such upgrade to be made.

A PAF OV-10M dropping a GBU-12 Paveway II bomb during testing and training exercises. Photo credits to PAF.

According to MaxDefense Philippines' sources, only a few OV-10Ms are in service as of March 2014. The aircraft were used at a very high operational tempo since 2006. The aircraft also lost their 4-bladed propellers as there was no more available propellers, and the PAF resorted to returning to the original 3-bladed propellers to keep the aircraft serviceable.

One of the remaining OV-10M Bronco was seen here with its original 3-bladed propellers as of April 2019 as it participated in the PH-US Exercise Balikatan 2019. Photo credits to DVIDS.

One of the PAF's upgraded OV-10M without the 4-bladed propellers. Note the GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II smart bombs in its winglets. Photo credits to Military Porn @ Reddit.

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With the six OV-10A Bronco light attack aircraft upgraded to OV-10M standards, and delivered and formally inducted with the Philippine Air Force as of September 2006, MaxDefense and Philippine Defense Resource officially consider the OV-10 Serive Life Extension Program (SLEP) Project of the Philippine Air Force as COMPLETED.

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First edit and release: 16 March 2024
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource